Posts Tagged ‘red-winged blackbird’

I was taking some photos of some red-winged blackbirds. It is mating season and they are flashing their colors. Their epaulets are bright red and orange and are remarkably stunning! Then I spotted these Yellow-headed Blackbirds among them. I haven’t seen any of these for quite a while, and I only saw these two:  usually you see them in larger groups. It was good to see a couple of them. Perhaps there will be more; I’ll keep looking.

Red-wing in charge!

The Cooper’s hawk is a real terror for smaller birds.  While hunting they like to fly fast and low through wooded areas.  Around here they will stake out a walnut orchard for their own personal hunting grounds.  I’ve seen their terrible proficiency in capturing small birds.  With this in mind I was surprised to see an occasion where the tables were turned.  Apparently this one Cooper’s hawk had ventured into a breeding area of Red-winged blackbirds.  There was this Cooper’s hawk trying to make it to the security of a tree with a Red-winged blackbird firmly attached to it’s back.  I lost sight of them, so I don’t know how the story turned out;  but it seemed like the Red-winged blackbird was squarely in control of the situation.

red-winged blackbird ink on paper by John Monroe

Many years ago, when I was in college, I had a friend who loved red-winged blackbirds. Jerry, believing that red-winged blackbirds were  magical birds, proceeded to tell me a story.  He was once lost on a deserted country road in unfamiliar territory. When finally becoming more and more disoriented, he just stopped the vehicle in a quandary over which way to go. At that point this bird, a red-winged blackbird, landed on his hood. The bird then began to move in some strange and indescribable manner, which Jerry interpreted as directional instruction.  Then,  following the advice of  this “muse”, he found his way back to familiar territory and continued his adventure.